The Winemakers of Rutherglen’s annual Tastes of Rutherglen festival will return on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 March 2023 ( Victoria’s Labour Day long weekend) to showcase the region’s award-winning wines, produce and cuisine.
The rustic carpet will be rolled out as 17 Rutherglen wineries open their cellar doors and invite visitors to the tasting table; to sip and savour their way around the entire region all weekend long.
With more than 200 wines to taste, curated menus at each winery, 11 masterclasses to attend, plus a series of special events, Tastes of Rutherglen offers visitors the unique chance to speak to the region’s winemakers directly; connecting wine lovers’ curiosity with winemakers’ craft.
There are many highlights but the Sunday evening Dinner in the Vines at All Saints Estate is sure to be a sell out with the menu presented by All Saints’ new destination restaurant KIN with matched wines from winemaker Nick Brown’s personal cellar. Guests dine under starry festoon-lit tables nestled between the vineyards and the Estate’s iconic castle.
Other highlights on the 2023 program include:
Friday 10 March
- Sundowners at Scion – 4pm to 8pm: Kickstart the festival weekend with cocktails and handmade wines among the gums at one of Rutherglen’s most innovative and contemporary wineries. Enjoy Spanish tapas boxes ($40) by Beechworth taste-trekker and chef Sally Lynch.
Saturday 11 March – Day
- Sustainable Winemaking Masterclass at Lake Moodemere Estate – 10:30am & 3pm (also on Sunday): Take a seat at the Vigneron’s table with Lake Moodemere’s father/son team. Sixth generation winemaker Michael Chambers along with Joel Chambers (seventh generation) will share their passion for shaping the future of winemaking in Rutherglen. Taste multiple vintages and explore how their unique terroir, seasonal changes and sustainable management practices take the wines from soil; to vine; to glass. Tickets: $25 per person.
Saturday 11 March – Night
The Riches of Rutherglen Winemakers Dinner at De Bortoli Rutherglen Estate – from 6pm: Allow the masterful chefs at Tuileries Rutherglen and winemakers at De Bortoli Rutherglen Estate take your taste buds on a guided tour of the beloved Rutherglen region. Enjoy their textural whites and world renowned bold reds alongside a decadent four-course menu. Tickets: $145 per person.
Sunday 12 March
Dinner in the Vines at All Saints Estate – 7pm: Tickets: $160 per person.
Tastes of Rutherglen festival admission tickets are $40 per person, which includes access to all 17 wineries for the two days, a tasting glass to keep and on-site entertainment at each winery. Not a big drinker? Designated drivers receive free entry as well as tea, coffee and soft drink vouchers.
There is a hop-on/hop-off Winery Shuttle Bus service for $30 per person, per day. Or enjoy return bus journeys from all nearby regional cities for $40 per person per day. Regional pick up and drop off locations include Albury, Wodonga, Howlong, Mulwala, Yarrawonga, Bundalong, Wangaratta, Beechworth, Chiltern, Corowa and Wahgunyah.
Tastes of Rutherglen tickets, masterclasses and special events can be booked at explorerutherglen.com.au. Tickets go on sale from Friday 16 December.
Tastes of Rutherglen: The ultimate long weekend escape.
- When: Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 March
- Time: 10am – 4pm daily, with additional dinners and evening events
- Tickets: Festival Admission – $40 | Winery Shuffle Bus – $30 per day | Regional bus – $40 per day
